The Official Snapshot of Marital History

Search Marriage Records

Enter First Name:

Enter Last Name:

Select State:

Marriage Records Search

Depending on the state, you may need to approach the County Clerk’s Office or the state Vital Records Office to request a marriage records search. Access to these vital records is restricted until a certain number of years after the date of marriage. If you are looking for records older than 50 years, they will likely be readily available to the public. Commercial sites which provide marriage records to consumers for a fee would also offer a search function as part of their services, since a customer would need confirm that the record he or she is interested in is available before placing an order.

Free Marriage Records Search

Restrictions on Marriage Records Search
Since access to marriage records is restricted for a certain number of years, all applications must include an accepted form of identification. Photo ID, such as your driver’s license or a passport, is usually used for this purpose.

If you don’t have this type of identification, the state will be able to provide you with a list of alternate forms of ID it will accept. You will likely be asked to provide two or more alternate pieces of ID in place of your driver’s license, such as a vehicle registration card or a utility bill showing your name and address to confirm your identity.

Marriage Records Search at County Clerk or Vital Records Office

When marriage records are available from the County Clerk’s Office or Vital Records Office, a fee is charged to search the records. This amount is collected for each request, and is nonrefundable. In a situation where a consumer requests more than one copy of a marriage record, only the amount representing second or subsequent copies of the marriage record will be refunded if no record will be returned.

All requests for a marriage records search must include some basic information. The county or state office will not be able to proceed unless the applicant provides the full name of the groom and the bride. The date of the marriage will also need to be provided, as well as the city or town where the marriage was performed.

If the exact date is not known, a search may be ordered in increments of a certain number of years. Some states will search in two or three year increments at a time, while others will conduct a search in five-year periods for an additional fee.

Marriage Records Search Online

Conducting a marriage records search online when you place your order through a vital records website is an easy and convenient way to access this information. These commercial sites are linked to an online database which can indicate whether a record exists for a particular name quickly and easily. A search can be conducted at any time of the day or night, without having to wait for normal business hours. Why wait to get started, when you can take the next step right now?